Category: Portuguese Culture

The landscapes you’ll come across during your trip to Portugal are nothing short of breathtaking. However, that also means you’ll have to work a little harder to do them justice through your photographs. You can’t just start shooting a landscape at any point in the day; there are some factors you should keep in mind:

The Golden Hour

The infamous Golden Hour is the moment right after sunrise or right before sunset when the sun is just peaking over the horizon and casting that rich, orange light everywhere without making anything look blown out in photos. This effect is something most landscape photographers strive to capture, and it can help you take much better photos that look better as far as exposure, colors, and ambiance are concerned.

If you happen to miss the Golden Hour, you could use a photo editor but even if you used the best photo editor for Mac or Windows, you wouldn’t really get the same look.

The Tourists

One of the most annoying things about famous landscape sights is that you’ll run into a horde of other tourists taking photos there, or just visiting. This can affect your photos in a bad way, as you’ll end up with lots of photos that have more people in them than trees.

The best way to avoid this is to visit the place at a time when most people wouldn’t think to visit it. The Golden Hour, again, is important here especially the one that comes in the early morning. Most tourists, unless dedicated photographers, don’t usually bother enough to get up so early just to take a picture. So, sacrifice your sleep a little and get up early to capture the serene Portuguese landscapes without too many people ruining the shot.

The Weather

And lastly, it would do you very well to be aware of the weather conditions each day that you head out to take photos. The last thing you want is for it to start pouring down when you’re not ready. Not only will this ruin your plans but may also cause serious damage to your gear.

So, every time you leave your room to take photos, take a quick look at the weather forecast for the day so that you don’t run into any surprises when out and about.

While traveling, one of the worst things is to carry heavy stuff around. People just want to put their luggage in their rooms and roam about without having to worry about something expensive getting stolen or going missing. Laptops and notebooks are a serious source of worry in such cases. Even if you are leaving your stuff in your hotel room, you somehow don’t feel comfortable leaving your computer behind and end up having to wear a backpack around with it inside.

If you’re also sick of taking your laptop on trips for this, or any other reason, and are worried you may not be able to edit your photos during the trip, you can just use your phone.

Smartphone Apps Have Matured

Gone are the days when photo editing apps on smartphones were all about gaudy filters and effects. Now, there are countless apps focused purely on professional-grade photo editing while being mobile. These apps still are not quite as capable as some of the best photo editor for computers, but they have come a very long way in terms of the tools offered and the quality of images rendered.

A Plethora of Tools

On mobile apps like Lightroom and Snapseed, you can completely change the look of a photo if that is what you want. You have access to basic features like brightness and contrast controls as well as highly advanced ones like selective area adjustments and color control. You can even edit RAW image directly from your dedicated camera in some apps.

And the best part is that when you’re done with editing photos to your heart’s content on your phone, you can share them with the world on social apps like Instagram right from the same device!

Portugal is simply a gorgeous place to visit for vacation. The people, the architecture, the food, and the nature, all of it makes great subjects for photography. If you’re planning a visit to Portugal for sightseeing and photography, be sure to visit the following places.

Whether you want traditional art, great food, streets to roam, or people to dive into conversations with, Lisbon has it all. It is one of the best cities of the country if you want to experience Portuguese culture firsthand.

While Lisbon is the capital where you get everything that is Portuguese, Sintra is a small town that is sure to grab your heart. With its colorful buildings, placed amongst hills and sloping streets, Sintra is a great place if you want some peace and quiet.

When you go to Sintra, you simply have to visit Pena Palace. It’s placed on top of a hill and its bright yellow color is not one to be missed. If you’re an architectural photographer, or someone who appreciates historic buildings, this is going to be one of the most interesting ones you’ll ever see.

Lagos is the place for you if you love beaches. Some of the best beaches of the country are here. The colorful appearance of the cliffs, the calming water, the seclusion and privacy, and the seemingly everlasting sunshine make this the perfect place to have a party or just a family picnic.

If you love the idea of Venice, you’ll love Aveiro too. It’s a small coastal town that not many know about. Once there, you’ll be welcomed by the warm-hearted locals and the colorful boats making their way in front of historic architecture.

Portugal is a place full of culture and love. If you haven’t yet been to this beautiful country, and are planning a vacation any time soon, Portugal is really the place to go.

Portugal, as mentioned in previous blogs is a breathtaking place to visit for photography. The rich culture, beautiful buildings, luxurious food, and stunning landscapes make this a must visit place for any traveling photographer.

So if you’ve been convinced to take a trip to Portugal for your next photography venture, it’s important to understand why it is important where you choose your accommodation during this time. Do you live in the city center or do you live away from the city? Let’s talk about the factors that may sway your decision in the matter.

Why Live in the City

You should find a place inside the city center if you like taking photographs of people, buildings, food, culture, or the streets. You will have access to all these subjects throughout your stay if you choose to live in an urban setting. You’ll also benefit from easier transport, plenty of places to eat, people to talk to and learn about the culture, and easier access to different areas.

Why Live in the Countryside

If you are someone who wants to capture the landscapes and waterscapes of Portugal, take wildlife photos, capture birds in motion, or create stunning HDRs with a software like these ones, it might serve you better to find accommodation away from the city. Find a place where you will be able to benefit most from natural views and natural settings. Don’t go too far from the city though, as you might need to visit the markets frequently for food and other necessities.

So as you can see, where you live during a photography trip to Portugal will affect the kind of photos you take. Think carefully about what type of images you are going to take during your trip, and that will help you a great deal in making your decision when it comes to lodging.

Portugal was named the Hottest Destination of the Year last year by Travel & Leisure. People from around the globe love taking their vacations in Portugal for its unique and colorful culture, its excellent seafood, and the historic castles and architecture. Listed here are some of the reasons why taking a trip to Portugal might be a great idea.

You don’t have to worry about the Climate

Unlike many other countries where you have to do a fair bit of research about when the climate is best for vacation, Portugal has a mild climate all year. The months that are usually considered as colder and off-season are normally mild in Portugal as well, making it a safer option than many when it comes to taking a trip.

The Majestic Beauty of the Algarve

The Algarve is a 150 kilometer long part of the southernmost region of the country. The blue waters, crashing against rocky cliff at the shoreline are a sight to behold. From the small, beautiful towns facing the coast to the picturesque beaches where you can fully immerse in the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, the Algarve is a must on your traveling wish-list when you finally get a chance to visit Portugal.

The Freshest Seafood You’ll Probably Have

What’s traveling without indulging in some of the local foods? Portugal has some of the best seafood that you can find in Europe, thanks to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Many of the restaurants you’ll visit will have the catches of the day displayed in glass cases, showing just how much the Portuguese value freshness in their foods.

And it’s not only the seafood that’ll have you craving for more. Check out this list of reasons why Portuguese food is reason enough to plan a visit.

The Tiled Architecture of Lisbon

The historic district of Lisbon has a unique look to it, thanks to the buildings that are covered completely in tiles. These locally-made, hand painted tiles adorn the buildings’ facades in different colors, making these some of the more unique faces in European architecture. For anyone, whether they love architecture and design or not, this is something not to be missed.

If you want to take some stellar photographs of this architecture, try taking a swing at HDR photography. It’s a great way to capture all the differences in the lights and shadows in any given situation. Head over to www.aurorahdr.com to learn more about this.

And Last Up: Pastel De Nata

We have talked about Portuguese food already, but the custard tarts of Portugal deserve a special mention. The flaky outer pastry with a filling of golden custard, baked and glazed to perfection, is something that is unique to Portugal. You will find various shops that make Pastel De Nata exclusively, with long queues of people waiting to get their hands on the flaky goodness.

Portugal is a country that has some amazing and unique things that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Whether you are a fan of historic architecture or powerful displays of nature, enjoy eating fresh seafood or love indulging in sweet pastries, Portugal is sure to be one of the best holiday destinations you’ll ever get to visit in your lifetime, so get to it!

Portugal is one of the most beautiful territories you can find and trust us; you wouldn’t be surprised if heaven and Portugal seems to be a synonym to each other! It isn’t only the place, but the Portuguese culture is as rich and as beautiful as the place and the people itself.
Talking about the Portuguese culture, we go way back to history. But, to be precise, and without going that way back, let us tell you a few basic things about the Portuguese culture—
• The Food – The food is the most amazing part of the Portuguese culture. It has a huge Mediterranean influence and is very famous for the seafood. If you are travelling to these beautiful land, do not ever forget to try the traditional Portuguese platter.
• The Architecture – The Portuguese architecture bores several medieval castles with pride. Along with that, there are several villas and forts from the Roman Occupation. However, the modern Portuguese architecture follows the most advanced trends seen in European mainstream architecture with no constraints.
• The Dance and the Music – The Portuguese Folk Dance includes various dance forms.. from Circle Dance to O Pedreiro and Ó Ti Taritatu – there are plenty of them and we cannot even count.
Many photographers and travelers love taking various pictures of this beautiful nation. There are plenty of photography blogs available for the Portuguese culture, nature and the architecture, which lets you, reminisce about the beauty and the heritage of the place.
The professional photographers take great interest on Portugal as a nation of great heritage and natural beauty. If you are someone who has an eye for the rich culture and the beauty, and someone who is a photographer, then reaching out to this beautiful country for some amazing captures is a good idea.

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About me:

Tieshka Smith is a Philadelphia-based photographer, blogger, community activist, and producer/host of the#VoicesForRacialHealing podcast. She is a #PHLAssembled collaborating artist. For nearly 7 years, her photographs have been featured online, in print, and in galleries and other community spaces on the East Coast and in the Midwest.